The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has arrested a 60-year-old drug kingpin, Okpara Paul Chigozie, who had been on the run for seven years. He was captured in Lagos last week following a series of coordinated operations across the country.
According to a statement by NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, Okpara was arrested at his hideout at 72 Michael Ojo Street, Isheri, in Ojo, Lagos, after officers intercepted one of his drug couriers along the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway.
The courier, Achebe Kenneth Nnamdi, 51, was caught with 7.6kg of cocaine and 900 grams of methamphetamine hidden in a Toyota Sienna vehicle heading to Onitsha. Sniffer dogs discovered the drugs during a thorough search of the vehicle. A follow-up raid on Okpara’s residence led to the recovery of another 1.8kg of cocaine and 1.3kg of meth.
NDLEA also made arrests at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, including Omoregie Nice Uyiosa, who was found with 7,790 pills of tramadol and rohypnol. He was attempting to travel to Italy via Turkey.
At the airport’s export shed, officials seized 17 parcels of skunk cannabis weighing 1.7kg, concealed in packs of Golden Morn cereal. The suspect, Chioba Robert Uchenna, was arrested on the spot.
In Kosofe, Lagos, NDLEA raided Sarah Sam Hotels at 115 Ogudu Road, where various party drugs were being sold. Officers recovered 1.3kg of chocolate cannabis, 900 grams of drug-laced gummies, and 22.9 grams of skunk from a suspect, Obayemi Oyetade. Three vehicles were also seized from the hotel, which is run as a family business.
In Kaduna, three suspects were arrested in Chikun Local Government Area with 742.8kg of skunk and Colorado. In Kano, Lawan Rabiu was caught with 36,000 tramadol pills. In Gombe, Aliyu Abubakar was intercepted with 25,000 pills of tramadol and Exol-5.
Also in Gombe, Mohammed Adamu and Furaira Idris were arrested with 29kg of skunk. In Borno, Audu Modu was caught along Baga Road in Maiduguri with 74,360 pills of opioids hidden in a Mercedes-Benz car.
In Bayelsa State, a 63-year-old grandmother, Akuna Nelson, was arrested in the Osiri area of Yenagoa with 163 litres of a locally brewed drug mix known as skuchies.
Four other suspects— Ikechukwu Abugu, Sunday Ani, Chukwu Christian, and Emmanuel Olisakwe — were caught along the Okene-Lokoja highway with 2kg of methamphetamine. They were travelling from Onitsha to Minna, Niger State.
In Abia State, NDLEA raided the Aba residence of notorious drug dealer Nduka Obi, 39, and recovered tramadol, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and N736,000 in cash.
In Enugu, Chisom Okpalaeke, 30, was arrested with 45,000 tramadol pills along the Onitsha–Enugu expressway. In Taraba State, officers apprehended Ngwokwoka Thomas and Mohammed Audu with 10,000 caps of tramadol and cannabis.
Reacting to the wave of arrests and seizures, NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the agency’s officers across the country for their efforts in disrupting drug trafficking networks.
He also urged a balanced approach that includes not only law enforcement but also public education and rehabilitation programmes to curb drug abuse in Nigeria.
